Well, not exactly to the word count, but at least it's just under
800 and not a novel this time...
DISCLAIMER: Yeah, the SG-1 guys are all property of MGM, World
Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This is all in fun, no
infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. All other
characters, ideas, etc., herein are copyrighted to the author.
TITLE: COLD IN SILENCE
AUTHOR: Rowan Darkstar
EMAIL: rowan_d1@yahoo.com
RATING: Older Kids
CATEGORIES: Angst, Sam/Jack UST, Sam/Daniel friendship
ARCHIVE: Yes, just let me know.
SUMMARY: "She chews on the inside of her cheek. Tries not to
draw blood."
Written for the GateShip Wednesday Shorts "The Other Side"
Challenge.
"Cold In Silence"
by
Rowan Darkstar (rowan_d1@yahoo.com)
Copyright (c) 2005
She keeps her back to him as they exit the gateroom. He quickens
his pace until they are side by side. She doesn't move away, but
she doesn't meet his gaze, and he can feel the cold in the set of
her jaw.
He knows she feels him watching. She has met his gaze on
instinct a thousand times.
She stares at the floor.
At the end of the hall she turns without a word and pushes into
the women's bathroom. They are only a few yards from the
entrance to the locker rooms. On any other day she would have
followed him there.
He keeps walking, hardly a break in his pace. Even though he
knows she's most likely on her knees in front of the toilet. But
he'll never ask and she'll never tell.
*****
It's been a long week, and she meant to do some catch-up time in
her lab after the briefing. She's tired and she wants to go
home. Daniel is in the locker room while she's lacing up her
boots.
"You heading out?" he asks. Because it’s not quite like her, and
he knows it.
"Yeah. Long week."
He nods. "That it has been."
They're quiet, pretending to be busy. She says, "Daniel, I'm--
look, you were right. And I'm sorry I didn't back you up
sooner."
Daniel shuts his locker and turns. She's standing by the door
now and trying not to look like she wants to escape. His
expression is painfully open and sincere. "You did," he says
simply.
"Not soon enough."
"Sam, you listened. You don't have to instantly agree with
everything I say as long as you don't discount me. And you gave
me a leg to stand on with the General." He takes a step closer
to her, slings his bag over his shoulder.
She watches him with a furrowed brow, sorting through what is
universal truth and what is Daniel. "Okay," she says at last.
"Rough mission," he says.
She chews on the inside of her cheek. Tries not to draw blood.
"The body count was a little high."
"Yeah."
They stand together for a while, and she draws comfort from the
quiet companionship. But she doesn't want to think, and if she
stays here she will, so she moves. "I should get going."
Daniel nods. "I'll walk you out."
They pass through the door together.
*****
Jack forgets about the paperwork and changes to go home. He
stops by Carter's lab to see if she's burying herself in work,
but the door is locked and all is dark.
He takes the elevator to the surface. Halfway to the checkpoint,
he sees Carter and Daniel at the side of the hallway. They speak
to each other, but he cannot hear. Carter steps forward and they
embrace. She closes her eyes as Daniel's arms tighten across her
back. Jack tries to look away.
Daniel leaves first and Carter hangs back.
Jack convinces his legs to respond and moves to catch up with
her.
She doesn't meet his eyes when she acknowledges his presence.
They stand in silence.
Jack slips his hands in his pockets. "Look, Carter, I'm gonna go
by Rockwell's, grab some dinner. You want to join me? My
treat."
Her blue eyes are so wide, he can still feel them boring through
him and into the iris behind. "No, thank you, sir. I think I'll
just head home."
"Carter, I think we should...hang out. Just so it doesn't...so
it doesn't get too quiet." He's looking at the floor and
searching for the Colonel in him. He's hoping against hope she
understands. She may think he just wants to avoid the flashbacks
that come with the first hours of quiet. But it's not tonight
he's worried about. It's tomorrow and the day after. He's let
things fade before, he knows they never go away.
She isn't ready. "I'm sorry, sir. I just...I don't think I'm up
for it tonight."
"All right," he says softly. And his voice has lost the CO.
He's Jack, worried about Carter.
"You know we did what we had to do. We did our best."
She nods. "Right."
Her tone scratches his skin.
Two weeks ago, she was smiling at him with more warmth than he
had ever seen and toying with the notion of a rod and a reel and
a lake with no fish.
She turns and walks away.
Jack hangs behind and watches.
She doesn't turn.
He hopes the quiet doesn't grow too deep.
He knows the cold in silence.
*****
rowan_d1@yahoo.com
H O M E